Located off Singapore’s North East coast, Coney Island or Pulau Serangoon, is home to a wide variety of habitats, including coastal forests, grasslands and mangroves. There are also rare flora and fauna, like the nationally endangered spotted wood owl and the black-crowned night heron.

“A lot of us, when we are stuck on mainland Singapore everything’s fast paced,” said 21-year-old Sumita Thiagarajan, a volunteer guide for the park. “When we come out to islands like these we can enjoy the rustic nature, and slow down a little, then you get to see all the wildlife and you’re like ‘oh Singapore has wildlife’.”

The National Parks Board (NParks) said the park is built on the principles of sustainability and the aim is to enhance and protect the wide variety of habitats in the area. The timbre of fallen Casurina trees is used to make benches, signs and boardwalks. Rainwater is collected for flushing toilets and diffused sunlight powers indoor lights. There are also nest boxes for migratory birds.

However, beyond the biodiversity, there are other reasons why Coney Island Park could prove more popular than places like Pulau Ubin.

“It’s much easier for the public to access because it’s actually connected to the mainland,” said NParks’ senior director for parks, Ms Kartini Omar. “It is also very well connected with the park connector network, the North Eastern Riverine Loop from Punggol Point, so it’s just 500m away.”

Visitors enter Coney Island Park using two entrances – by taking a bus to Punggol Point Park and walking 500 metres to the West entrance, or driving down the the Tampines Expressway to Pasir Ris Industrial Drive 6 for the East entrance.

The park is part of the Government’s overall plan for Coney Island, which includes areas for sports, recreation and possibly even housing. An interim park is also planned for the western end of the island. However, despite these plans for urban development, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure Khaw Boon Wan, who officially opened the park, said he hopes the park will be a symbol of sustainability.

“We will of course keep the island rustic and keep to its natural state as much as possible,” said Mr Khaw. “This is so that Singaporeans, especially young Singaporeans, can get to enjoy and get close to nature.”

Coney Island Park is open to the public from 7am to 7pm daily. Volunteers will also give guided walks, starting in November.

Source : Channel NewsAsia – 10 Oct 2015

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Located off the northeastern coast of Singapore, the Urban Redevelopment Authority said under the Master Plan, a part of Coney Island is zoned for residential, sport and recreational use.

As the land is not immediately required for development, a part of Coney Island will be kept as an interim park for the time being.

The rest of the island is zoned for park use.

Tender documents stated that Coney Island will have infrastructure such as a bird watching station, walkways and solar street lights.

But one analyst said there is no need for residential units within such a small island.

Nicholas Mak, research head at SLP International, said: “It destroys the peace and the quiet that is on the island.

“If you wanted to keep a part of it as a nature reserve, for recreation, water sports, why do you need to introduce additional housing units there? It is not as if we are short of residential land within the main island of Singapore.”

Source : Channel NewsAsia – 3 Feb 2014

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It will be the ninth nature park in Singapore.

The park will be ready in two years, and is part of the government’s plans to build 20 new parks over the next five years in the Northern, Eastern and Western parts of Singapore.

Coney Island is connected to Punggol Promenade by a bridge, but it is not open to the public yet.

The National Parks Board said it will preserve the island’s wildlife and rustic nature during the development, to give the park a natural feel.

The park, which is the size of about 30 football fields, will take up half the island’s space.

There are plans to develop the rest of the island for recreational and residential uses.

Source : Channel NewsAsia – 23 Feb 2012

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